Lottery player never thought she’d win — then ‘unreal’ NC prize caused ‘tears of joy’
Leslie Withers has been entering her North Carolina lottery tickets in second-chance drawings for years.
“I never really expected to win anything,” Withers told lottery officials, according to an April 12 news release from the North Carolina Education Lottery. “I just enter for the possibility of winning.”
On Wednesday, April 5, though, the Stanley resident got an email from the lottery: She had won the $200,000 grand prize in that day’s 2023 Multiply the Cash second-chance drawing.
“It was just so unreal,” Withers told lottery officials.
After taxes, Withers took home $142,500, according to officials. That’s when it really started to sink in that she won.
“I did cry tears of joy,” she said. “This is a blessing in so many ways.”
Withers said she will use her winnings to buy a new Jeep Grand Cherokee she’s wanted for years.
“Our current Jeep has over 300,000 miles,” she told officials. “Now I can look to get me a brand new one.”
Stanley is about 20 miles northwest of Charlotte.
This story was originally published April 12, 2023 at 8:40 AM with the headline "Lottery player never thought she’d win — then ‘unreal’ NC prize caused ‘tears of joy’."
